Asia Bibi, Family, Reunited in Canada, Safe: One Apart From Millions

Persecuted, falsely accused, condemned, mistreated, targeted for vigilante death, after a decade of abuses, Asia Bibi is reunited with family in Canada where she is an example of someone who actually needs asylum from a dangerous homeland. (Citizen Go photo)

Christian
Asia Bibi arrived in Canada Thursday safe from Pakistan’s ridiculous blasphemy
laws and specious accusations that are a routine part of anti-Christian
persecution there.

To
Citizen Go team leader Caroline Craddock, it’s simply a time to celebrate an
international effort of hundreds who successfully brought a sister in Christ
home at last.

“I feel overwhelming joy to share this news,” Craddock said in a statement released Thursday afternoon. “We have managed to save an innocent woman from a death sentence, a sentence she received because of her faith.”

Many Christians are still unjustly imprisoned, and our work is not done

Caroline Craddock with Citizen Go

The
Citizen Go efforts span most of a decade, but at last Asia Bibi can embrace her
husband and daughters, truly free.

Craddock said that the campaigns to shine the light of global attention to Bibi’s case activated public opinion and stirred media reports as well, which prompted responses by authorities of Western governments.

Citizen Go marshaled an international movement for Asia Bibi’s case, and she stands as an example of a growing plague of persecution against Christians on a global scale. (Citizen Go photo)

“Our
collective strength overcame the Islamist radicals who called for Asia Bibi’s
execution, and encouraged Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan to resist the
pressure from terrorists on the streets of Islamabad,” Craddock said.

Petitions,
demonstrations, rallies and prayer vigils have been a part of the efforts for
Bibi’s release and safe keeping, and it involved hundreds of thousands.

The
attention prompted international organizations to join the cause as well.

In
2015, Bibi’s daughter Eisham shared her testimony at the First Congress of
Persecuted Christians in Madrid.

Citizen Go efforts were back at the second Congress of Persecuted Christians in 2016, and Eisham also spoke to United Nations officials in New York also that year.

The movement to draw attention to Asia Bibi’s case reached as far as a brief chance to express the family’s experiences with such persecution before Pope Francis. (Citizen Go photo)

“We
managed to bring Asia Bibi’s family before Pope Francis in the Vatican,”
Craddock added. “This was a great consolation for all of them in moments of
sadness.”

These
efforts for attention and response were in addition to the ongoing legal
defense over the course of a hotly contested legal criminal trial process.

“On
October 31, 2018, the Pakistani Supreme Court overturned Asia Bibi’s death
sentence and acquitted her of all charges, ordering her immediate release,”
Craddock said.

“But the Supreme Court’s verdict inflamed fanatics who were bent on killing Asia Bibi. Protests organized by the extreme political and religious TLP party spread all over the country. Asia Bibi’s life, despite her acquittal, was still hanging by a thread.”

This victory encourages us to continue working for religious freedom for all Christians who are persecuted around the world

Caroline Craddock with Citizen Go

The
months since her acquittal were also tense, through an additional acquittal
appeal process – yes, there was an appeal allowed of her acquittal, and finally
the upholding decision of her official release.

Then
there was a process to secure a safe exit from Pakistan avoiding roaming gangs
and rallies of Islamic militants bent on finding her and killing her.

“All
that was left was to get her out of the country, but even this has not been
easy,” Craddock said.

They considered numerous options for asylum and followed
careful strategies for leaving Pakistan.

“The Canadian option has prevailed, and we are incredibly
happy that it has,” Craddock exclaimed. “In Canada, there is a well-established
Pakistani-Christian community. No doubt, Asia Bibi will feel welcome there.”

Craddock described the release as, “the liberation of Asia
Bibi,” that, “has been a worldwide team effort.”

It is set against a backdrop of global persecution against
Christians that reports this week indicated is prevalent to the extreme of comprising
fully 80-percent of religious persecution that takes place globally.

“This victory encourages us to continue working for
religious freedom for all Christians who are persecuted around the world,”
Craddock said.

“Many Christians are still unjustly imprisoned, and our work
is not done.”

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

ABOUT US

In the 2000s CAN began to focus on the issue of Islamic Sharia law, and what CAN terms “its encroachment in American society.” CAN released a film entitled, “Homegrown Jihad: The Terrorist Camps Around U.S.” in 2009.